Quarriers expands help available to Scotland's Carers
09-Aug-2002
Scottish care charity Quarriers has won a contract from Glasgow City Council to run a Project providing support to carers in the south west of the city.
The project will be staffed by experts as an outreach facility for carers in the Glasgow South West area, including Govan, Cardonald, Hillington, Penilee, and Ibrox, while being based in the heart of Govan. This geographical spread is aligned with a restructuring in Glasgow City Council's Social Work department, which splits resources over nine areas in the city. Glasgow City Council and Greater Glasgow Health Board have developed a joint carers strategy to ensure equal and effective identification, assessment and support for carers across each of the nine areas.
Work is currently underway to develop the facility and the project is expected to open next month. Quarriers will work in partnership with Glasgow City Council Social Work department, who are funding the project , and local carers.
Staff will provide a signposting service, helping carers obtain information and advice, provide direction to other agencies, such as social work services or respite care services, and also provide support groups. Often, they value the Carers Project just as an opportunity to talk as the task of caring can be an isolating one.
A 'carer' is anyone who, as partner, parent, relative or friend, cares for someone at home that couldn't do without their help due to illness, disability or old age.
Glynis Elgey is Service Manager for Children and Young People at Quarriers. She is overseeing the project launch. "One of the main problems in helping carers is that they so often don't realise they are carers!" says Glynis. "Say a family member falls ill, or becomes frail. More often than not, the individual just sees it as his or her role to take on the extra responsibility - they don't recognise themselves as 'carers' and so are less aware of the help and advice available to them."
This year the Government introduced the Community Care and Health Act (Scotland) 2002. The Act strengthens the support to carers themselves, where previously it tended to be the person cared for that was supported. The Act also places extra duties on local authorities and health boards to identify those who would benefit from the support of Carers Projects, and to help them seek relevant advice.
The introduction of The Act has been welcomed by Quarriers carers projects staff, in the main. Glynis says: "There is greater recognition of the needs of carers and the importance of helping them benefit from the advice and support available. It may be that with the health and well-being of the carer being looked after better and therefore the person being cared for, the strain on health boards will be lessened. We'd like to see funding redistributed accordingly. We welcome the opportunity to provide support for a greater number of carers, but our resources will have to reflect that increase too."
Since 1998, Quarriers has played a significant part in the provision of support services for carers in Scotland, with projects underway in North Argyll, West Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde.
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
Quarriers is Scotland's third largest care charity, number SC001960. Established in 1871, it provides a wide range of care services for children, families, young people and adults with a disability from around 70 projects at around 100 sites in west-central, south-west and north-east Scotland.
A case study may be available on request.
This information from Shona O'Donnell of The Business, public relations support to Quarriers. For more information please contact: Tel: 0131 718 6022 Fax: 0131 718 6145 Mobile: 07879 842527
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